The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability is characterized by swelling, extension to zero degrees, flexion to 90 degrees with complaints of pain, and moderate lateral degenerative changes. The Board finds the preponderance of the evidence does not show severe instability or any other condition warranting a higher rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's left knee disability is currently evaluated as 20 percent disabling under DC 5257 for recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, which is appropriate given his symptoms and examination findings. The Board did not find evidence of severe instability or any other condition warranting a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the left knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- February 18, 2010
- Citation
- 1005979
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1005979.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial 30 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected DJD of the left knee and left knee lateral instability, from December 15, 2009, to September 5, 2014.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter to obtain a new VA medical opinion regarding the severity of the left knee DJD without the ameliorative effects of medication during the limited appeal period.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for DJD and instability of both knees but granted separate 20 percent ratings for dislocated semilunar cartilage in the left and right knees.
- Granted
The Veteran's left knee DJD resulted in chronic pain and limitation of flexion to at most 90 degrees, even with flare-ups. A separate rating for limitation of extension was granted effective December 20, 2017.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.